Hand truck with elevator platform



July 10; 1951 A. M. SASGEN EI'AL HAND TRUCK wnn ELEVATOR PLATFORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1950 July 10, 1951 A. M. SASGIEN TAL 2,560,131

HAND 'mucx WITH ELEVATOR PLATFORM Filed June 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F15. 5 FIE- a;

vinmnulilumug i 'atenteci july 10, 1951 HAND TRUCK WITH ELEVATOR PLATFORM Anthony M. Sasgen, Chicago, and Fred P. Hopfeld, Elmwood Park, 111., assignors to Grand Specialties Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 28, 1950,-Serial No. 170,834

This invention relates to hand trucks of the two-wheel variety suchas are commonly used to transport boxes, crates, barrels, etc., from one place to another, in warehouses, factories, and the like. A hand truck of this kind as constructed heretofore, has included a fixed tongue projected forwardly from the lower end of the truck. Such ,a tongue was inserted beneath the bottom marginal edge of an article to be transported so that when the frame of the truck was tilted into an acute angular position relative to the surface on which it was rested, the tongue would be effective to prevent movement of the article along the frame of the truck on which the articles would be I rested when the truck was disposed in the just 7 mentioned position. The frame of a truck of the aforesaid character also has wheels at the lower end thereof and the truck is pivoted about the axis of such wheels to be moved into the, afore- 'said acute angular relation with the surface over 'which the truck is to be moved and in such circumstances the truck and any article mounted thereon is supported by the wheels to facilitate ,7 transportation of an article from one place to another.

Hand trucks of the aforesaid kind are often used in machine shops and other places where an article picked up and carried by the truck is to be disposed in a position above the surface over which the truck is moved. For example, when a punch and die assembly is picked up from the floor and is disposed on a truck of the aforesaid nature to be transported to a punch press, it is necessary to manually raise the assembly from the floor to enable it to be moved onto the bed of the press in which the punch and die assembly is to be mounted. In hand trucks as these have been constructed heretofore, in circumstances such as the foregoing, considerable physical exertion was required in order to manually raise an articlefrom the floor to an elevated position.

In view of this, it is a primary object of the present invention to enable an article carried by a hand truck, in the nature of that described hereinabove, to be expeditiously moved from the lower to an elevated position, or vice versa, without objectionable physical exertion.

Objects of this invention ancillary to the foregoing are to equip a hand truck of the aforesaid character with a novel platform that is arranged to be disposed beneath at least a marginal portion of an article to be moved; to connect such a platform to the frame of the truck in a novel manner so as to enable the platform to be moved along, the frame of .the truck; and to utilize a Claims. (c1.' 214-1o0) novelarrangement embodying a mechanical advantage to effect movement of the platform along the frame of the truck without acquiring excessive physical exertion.

A further object of this invention is to so arrange the frame of a hand truck in the nature of that described hereinabove that a platform of the aforesaid character willbe moved into an inclined position when disposed at the lower end of the frame so as to thereby facilitate insertion of the platform beneath an article to be transported on the truck. 7

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying these principles.

Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sameor equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the-present invention and the purview of the I appended claims.

'In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a hand truckemqbodying the present invention and wherein the .movable platform is arranged in a somewhat elevated position; I V

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 on Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially and respectively on the lines Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the truck shown in Figs. 1 and 2. but wherein the movable platform is disposed in its lowered position; e

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 6--6 on Fig. 4 and drawn to a somewhat larger scale;

Fig. '7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 'l--'! on Fig. 5;

".Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a modified form of-construction; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 8.

The hand truck of the present invention embodies spaced apart frame members I0 and Il which, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are formed of angle iron and which are arranged to have corresponding flanges thereon disposed in par- ;allel. relation. with each other while the other flanges are faced one toward the other, or inwardly as the arrangement is viewed in Fig. 4. A cross brace 12 extends between the inwardly disposed flanges of the frame members Ill and II substantially midway in the extent thereof and is secured to the frame members in any suitable manner as bywelding. A further cross member I3 is extendedbetween the 'frame' members -10 and l l adjacent to the lower ends of these membrs and this cross member 13 is also secured to the frame members in a suitable manner as by Welding,

Arms as M are respectively secured *to the frame members and Il'and'extendrearwardly therefrom and afford a supportfor'an axledil-on which wheels I6 and l! are mounted. Braces as [8 are respectively extendedbetween the axle l and the side frame members It and H. The frame members [0 and II' are pivotalaboutthe axle IS SO as to be supported from the wheels I6 and l-l.

"Ihe-usualtong-ue I9 is 'prov'idedat the-lower -ends of 'the framemembers l6 and ll and-includes side flanges 20 and- 21-which-are=respec- "tively -secured to the inwardly disposed-flanges of thesideframeme'mbers l6 and I any suitable manner asby-welding. The upperedges of the -sidefianges 2-ll-and 2|aretapered forwardly so as to merge -into-the-front bar- 22 of=the-tongue -l9, asbest shownin Fig.2.

-In the present instancea-handle 23,-de'sirably formed from a cylindrical barortubular-material, is provided at the upper endof-the-'truck, such handle being substantially U -shapedand having the free ends thereof respectively secured to the r upper-ends of-the-side frame members I0 and II "near the upperendsthereof. Desirably the bight *portion of thehandle 23'isstraight, as best shown in -Fig." 1,- since this facilitates -manipulation of the-truck.

-The hand truck asthus-fardescribed is of more or less standard construction and it is tobe under- "stood that'the-novelaspects of our-invention could be incorporated" ina hand truck including an -equivalent but not necessarily identical construction without departing from the-purview--0f-0ur invention.

Im accordance with our invention, a platform generally indicated-by is-provided on the truck.

' Asillustrated, this'-platform is formed from plate material to include a horizontal =shelf--25 and a substantially vertically extending fiange-26 which, as best shownin Figs-2 and 6,--isdesirab1y--ari'anged -to extendat an obtuse angle with respect rcane-Shem 25. --A-n' angle-plate as 29 -is secured to the lower face of the-shelf- '25as by welding am includes, as best shown in- Fig. 2; a -flange portion 30 that is disposed-against therear-face on the flange 26 '-and whichis joined thereto as by welding. A similar angle plate 3| is secured to; the lower face of-the shelf-25 andthe rear face of the flange 26,- this angle plate including a flange portion 32 corresponding to-the flange portion 30. =Tl 1e-plates 29 and 3I aresecured to the lower-face of the shelf 25 infi such position that when theai platform 24 is moved into its lowered position these plates will be 'respectively disposed outwardlyof the side'flan'ges 20and 2|.

While the flange '26 1 willbe l sufficient in -most instances'toinsure displacement from the shelf 25;;

"of -anyarticle disposed thereon, there may well instances where a," comparatively tall article "will be handled by the-truck. Moreover, cylindrical obj e'ctssuchas barrels and the like'may be liandled by =the' -truck, and in orderto prevent I'Ollillg movement of such cylindrical objects transversely of the shelf 25 and to facilitate retention of tall articles, rods as 33 and 34 are secured, as by welding, to the forwardly disposed 5 face of the flange 26, the lower ends of such rods are tapered to be complementary to the forwardly di'sposed face ofthe flange 26, and the arrange- -=='ment is such that the'ro'd are extended in right angular relation with the shelf 25. Since the rods 33 and 34 are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 1, a cylindrical article rested on the shelf 25 will "fit therebetween and be held against movement transversely-of the shelf 25 when such an article isrested thereon. If desired, platform 24 might -be-in"-the-- natureof a suitably reenforced fork,

especi'ally'whenthe truck is to be used in stacking operations. g

The platform 24 is adapted to be moved along the side frame members It and H and to this end a roller 35 is mounted, as indicated at 36, on 4 the inner face iof the plate 29 a'nd in position to be "disposed in p'osition' to ride over the front face 0f the forwardly disposed flange'of the side frame member 1 l6. Another roller- 31 is mounted near,

athe' upper end of the flange portion 30, as indi- #oat'ed at 38,:- and is disposed :in position to ride over the rear faceof the aforesaid flange of the side 'framemember l0 A stud fiil extends-rear- Wardly from :the fian'gel26 to bear against the for- -wardly d-isposed' face of the flange H3, this stud being disposedin alignment'with'the roller- 3'| so that :the aforesaid-flange of the side frame member -I ll is disp'osed -therebetween. A 'roller' 4U is mounted on theJplate 3: in: the same manner and m the same locationkas is the roller 33-on the plate '29. A roller'fl Lis' mounted on the side fiange -32 in thesame manner and in the same position as the roller 31' is mounted on i the side fiaIlge 30. A stud RZ extends through the flange; 26 in align- 40' ment wi-th the roller 3 40 1 so that the forwardly disposed -flangebf the side frame member I I is di's'posed with the -.:roller 4 I and the stud 42, as b'estshown inEig." 4.

studs as lii 'are mounted on the-frame members 5 Ill and II and are respectively aligned' with the rollers35 and 40:so th'at the forwardly 'disposed fla nges of the side frame=members IO and ll-are *re'spectively disposed -between+the studs 43 and the rollers 35-an'd 4B. lhe studs- 39, 42 and- 43, i alon with thero1lers 35,-'3l, 40-=a'n'd 4 I are effective't'o lirnit movement"ofthe platform-24 relative to the :side framemembers tll H, and-the rollers'3-5 and' 38 and w and filridealong-the for- 'wardly"-disposed 'fianges of 'theside frame m'e'mbers fG-and-ll tofacilitate movement of the platfo'rm 2-4 relative td these'side frame 'members.

In-the form *'of the invention shown in' Figs. 1 to -7,=--in'c1usive, the plat'form 2 4 is m'oved- "along -s'ide"-f-rame members-"ifiand! l under the control y =ofa' hyd-raulicfor other fluid actuated '3 ak' generally iindicated by 5 1, -a -hydraulicall-y operated jack beingfpre'ferably used as illustrated in -the draw-ings. lhe jack 44 lllCllidGS -an-0peratii1g hand-le it which, when' manipulated, --is 'ffective to cause the pist0n 46of --the '-'jack and rodcon- ":nec'tedto 'the piston tomov'e outwardly with respect to thecylinden l'lthereof. -The cylinder Ml ofthe jack flhasthe lower end thereof rested 1 on' the upwardly'disposed 'fiange of the angle-i-ron =7 cross brace 1 3 and-desirably a stud 148, Fig. =2, -'a't=- the lower "end 'of the cylinder is passed throug'h an opening in" said upwardly disposed flange to therebyiprevent relative movement befitw'een the angle iron l3 and "the cylinder'fl. 1A

i strap member 49, Fig. 4,. has the midportion thereof engaged with a collar 50 disposed about the cylinder 41 and the angularly extending members of the strap member 49 extended to the inwardly disposed flangesof the side frame members H1 and H, and the free ends of these angular portions are welded to the side frame members l6 and H adjacent to the connection of the end portions of the brace member l2 to these flanges. The arrangement is such that the collar 56 is clamped between the brace |2 and at the strap member 49 and this secures the jack 44 to the truck.

A clip 5| is mounted on the strap member 49 substantially midway in the extent thereof and one end of a cable or suitable flexible member 52 is secured thereto. This cable'passes about a pulley, chain sprocket, or guide wheel 53 mounted in a suitable bracket 54 provided at the free end of the piston 46. From the pulley 53 the cable 52 is extended to a clip member 55, Fig. 2, provided on the underside of the shelf 25 and the cable 52 is firmly connected to this clip 55.

The jack 44 includes a conventional relief valve which, when open, permits the piston 46 to move inwardly of the cylinder .41. When the piston 41 is disposed in its inwardmost position the plat form 24 will be disposed in its lowered position shown in Fig. 5. Then upon manipulation of the operating handle 45 the'piston 46 is forced outwardly of the cylinder 4'! thereby moving the bracket 54 and the pulley 53 upwardly. As the pulley 53 moves upwardly it is effective on the cable 52 to cause the end thereof connected to the clip 55 to be moved upwardly and since the clip 55 is carried by the platform 24 this is effective to move the platform 24 upwardly. Further, due to the mechanical advantage gained by the arrangement of the cable-over theend of the piston rod, the platform moves twice the distance of that of the piston.

It is desirable that the shelf 25 of the platform 24 be arranged to extend in'a horizontal plane when the tongue I9 is rested upon a supporting surface on which the wheels I6 and I! are also rested. Such disposition of the shelf 25 insures against displacement of an article from the platform 24 when the truck is disposed in its normalat-rest position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. However, when the platform-24 attains its lowered position it should extend in a downwardly inclined direction, as does the tongue, 50 as to facilitate insertion of the platform beneath an article to be transported on the truck. Therefore, an arrangement is embodied in the side frame members In and II to enable such inclination of the platform to be effected. Thus, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the lower end por- 8 22 of the tongue l9- This angular" arrangement 'of the shelf 25 facilitates insertion thereof beneath an article to be supported on the truck.

Once, however, an article has been disposed on the shelf 25 and the operating handle 45 of the jack 44 is operated to cause the piston 46 to move outwardly of the cylinder 41, then the platmembers l0 and.

"51, respectively, the shelf 25 will be disposed in the aforesaid horizontal plane when the handle truck is in its normal-at-rest position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The hand truck of this invention, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is adapted to stand in erect position without the need of external support and the platform 24 raised and lowered while the truck is in this position. I

In Figs. 8 and 9 we have shown an arrangement which may be utilized in place of the jack 44. In this form of the invention the truck is "arranged as described hereinabove and includes side frame members Na and Ila which respectively correspond to side frame members I6 and H. Bearings as 58 and 59 are provided in the inwardly disposed flanges of the side frame members Illa and Na near the upper ends thereof and a shaft 66 is journaled in these bearings. A

' Worm wheel 6| is mounted on the shaft 60 outtions 56 and 51 of the side frame members I6 and II are arranged to extend at an angle with respect to the main extent of these side frame members. The angular relation between the portions 56 and 57 and the main extent of the side frame members It! and II is such that when the truck is disposed in its normal-at-rest position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the portions 56 and 51 will extend in substantially vertical planes. The extent of the portions 56 and 51 is greater than the spacing between the rollers as 35 and 36, as best shown in Fig. 6. The effect of the angular extent of the portions 56 and 5! is that when the rollers 35 and 38 move onto the portion 56 and the rollers 46 and 4| move onto the portion 51, the shelf 25 of the platform 24 is inclined forwardly below a horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the forward marginal portion of the shelf 25 will rest on the front bar wardly of the frame member Ila, a bushing 62 serving to dispose the worm wheel 6| in its desired position. A bracket 63 on the frame member ||a includes arms 64 and 65 in which a shaft 66 is journaled, the shaft 66 carrying a worm gear 61 that is meshed with the worm wheel 6|. A crank 68 is mounted on the rear end of the shaft 66 and when this crank is manipulated to rotate the worm gear 66, such rotating movement is imparted through the worm gear 66 to the shaft 60.

A spool 69 is mounted on the shaft 66 and a cable 16 is adapted to be wound onto this spool 69 when the shaft 60 is rotated in a winding direction. The free end of the cable 10 (not shown) is connected to a clip like the clip 55on the platform 24 so that when the shaft 60 is rotated in a winding direction and the cable 16 is wrapped on the spool 69, the platform is moved upwardly along the side frame members as Illa and Ha. When the shaft 60 is rotated in an unwinding direction the platform moves downwardly on the frame members Illa and Ila.

'It will be manifest from the foregoing that the arrangements described herein enable the above set forth and kindred objects of this invention to be realized. Moreover, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A hand truck comprising a frame having longitudinally extending members, a handle on the upper part of said frame, a forwardly projecting tongue member on the lower end of said frame, spaced wheels on an axle mounted on *flieiieoftoand-frohi theupper fiaf t'of s51 ffaiiie, f aid platform i r"1its*"1 owefm0'st positio rame' being disposed on-said "to'rigiie' 'fhydraiilic' ja'okm'ounted' on' said train "including a piston "and cylindermeoham eylinder being arranged longitudir'iall frame; a rod' member 'ooimected tojfsai "'j'nfld' extending from said 'cylindertoward" aid upper frame'parfiapu lley or guide Wheel" elite "of hydinaulic pressure and? advance "hep'istion of said frame and" wherein said platfofrm is 'i E FERENCES CI-TED The following 'i'eferenc'es are of record in"'"the 

